In the food service industry, when preparing sandwiches, salads and the like, it is desirable to have bottles or containers of dressings, sauces, other condiments and beverages easily accessible. This requires an open system having no drawers, doors, or the like and with no extra handles to get in the way. To meet public health regulations requirements (for example, HACCP) for keeping food fit for consumption or use or to prevent the taste from being affected, the food must be stored at certain temperatures or within certain temperature ranges.
There are known devices and equipment that make it possible to keep dressings, sauces and drinks cool in any shaped container. Most of the known systems, including ice and chemical coolers, only allow storage for a limited time, typically several hours, and must be changed or regenerated regularly. This involves additional handling and increased risks, including the risk that the change is made late or not at all. This risk is particularly high when the necessary change must be made at peak operating times, such as during lunch and dinner rushes.
Further, storage at a predetermined temperature or at variable temperatures is not possible with the above mentioned systems. Other systems are known in which temperature settings are possible, but they generally involve rather extensive and complicated designs, such as conventional compressor-based refrigeration apparatuses.